Colloquial speech: 歇后语, slang and internet words
Two-part riddle sayings, northern colloquialisms and internet slang: what they mean and when they fit.
Part of the free C1 Chinese course (about HSK 6 and above). Examples are in Simplified characters, with pinyin only for some new or hard words; press the speaker to hear one with your device's Chinese voice.
歇后语: the two-part saying
A 歇后语 (xiēhòuyǔ) is a folk saying in two parts: a picture, then its meaning, often a pun. Speakers sometimes say only the first part and let you supply the rest. In writing a dash joins them.
| First part (the picture) | Second part (the point) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 竹篮打水 | 一场空 | drawing water with a bamboo basket: all for nothing |
| 哑巴吃黄连 | 有苦说不出 | a mute eating bitter herbs: suffering in silence |
| 小葱拌豆腐 | 一清二白 | spring onion with tofu: perfectly clear, innocent |
| 外甥打灯笼 | 照舅（照旧） | nephew holding a lantern lights his uncle (舅): as before (照旧) |
| 泥菩萨过河 | 自身难保 | a clay Buddha crossing a river: can't even save itself |
- 竹篮打水——一场空。Drawing water with a bamboo basket: all for nothing.
- 这件事我是小葱拌豆腐——一清二白。In this matter my hands are completely clean.
Everyday colloquial words
Northern speech uses 啥 (shá, = 什么) and 咋 (zǎ, = 怎么). They are regional and casual: fine with friends, odd in an essay.
- 你说啥？What did you say? (northern, casual)
Slang and internet words (网络用语)
These are informal, and they date fast. A word that was everywhere one year can sound old a few years later.
| Word | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 靠谱 (kàopǔ) | reliable, sensible | now mainstream in speech; 不靠谱 = unreliable |
| 给力 (gěilì) | great, really helpful | peaked around 2010; sounds a little dated |
| 吐槽 (tǔcáo) | to roast, gripe, poke fun | usually traced via Taiwan to Japanese comedy (tsukkomi) |
| 躺平 (tǎngpíng) | to "lie flat", opt out of the rat race | popular from about 2021 |
| 内卷 (nèijuǎn) | pointless over-competition | an older academic term ("involution"), everywhere from about 2020 |
| 摆烂 (bǎilàn) | to give up on purpose | popular from about 2022 |
The dates are approximate: they mark when a word became widespread, not when it was first used.
- 这个人办事很靠谱。He's very reliable.
- 他整天吐槽他的老板。He's always griping about his boss.
- 现在大家都在内卷，下班了还在学习。Everyone's in a rat race now, still studying after work.
- 年轻人压力大，很多人说自己想躺平。Young people are under pressure; many say they want to lie flat.
Use slang to understand people, and use it yourself only where your listeners do. In a report or an application, choose the standard word: 可靠 for 靠谱, 很好 or 有效 for 给力.
Common mistakes
本报告认为，该方案非常给力。→ 本报告认为，该方案十分有效。Slang clashes with written register.- Saying only the second half of a 歇后语 as if it were the saying: the first half is the picture that makes it witty.
- Using 吐槽 for a polite complaint to a shop manager: it means mockery or venting, not a formal complaint (投诉).
- Treating 啥 and 咋 as mistakes: they are normal northern colloquial words, just not for formal writing.
Practice
- Which word means 'reliable, trustworthy' in casual speech?Options: 靠谱 · 吐槽 · 给力
Show the answer
靠谱
- 竹篮打水——_____。
Show the answer
一场空
- 哑巴吃黄连——_____。Options: 有苦说不出 · 一清二白 · 照舅
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有苦说不出
- In which setting is 吐槽 most natural?Options: Chatting with friends about a bad film. · A job application letter. · A government notice.
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Chatting with friends about a bad film.